CHICAGO (STNG) - Restrictions on overnight parking on major streets in Chicago will begin today, December 1st, so city snow-fighting trucks can have a clear path.

The winter overnight parking ban for 107 miles of designated streets will begin Dec. 1 and last through April 1, according to a release from the Dept. of Streets & Sanitation. The ban runs from 3-7 a.m. daily.

Drivers should also pay attention to the 2-inch snow restrictions that are technically in effect year-round, but realistically only in the winter months, the release said.

If the 2008-09 winter season is anything like last winter, Streets & San will have hundreds of trucks working the streets and tons of salt being dropped to help clear roadways.

Last winter was the snowiest in 30 years, and the department used about 450,000 tons of salt. This year Streets & San will start the season with 425,000 tons and replenish if necessary.

The department has hundreds of snow-fighting trucks to clear snow, and at any one time almost 280 trucks can be on streets. For narrow streets, a fleet of 24 smaller plows is put into commission consisting of snow tigers and 4-wheel-drive vehicles.

In addition to the snow-fighting trucks and smaller plows, the department has 200 temporary full-sized plows that can be added to the fleet by attaching “quick-hitch” plows to garbage trucks.